The defending champion Free State Cheetahs are under no illusion as to the monumental task facing them when they take on the Blue Bulls in the Currie Cup semifinal at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday, but they are ready give it a full go.

Cheetahs manager Helgard Muller, a veteran of almost 300 first class games in his playing days, said the Cheetahs are well aware of what it will take to upstage a star-studded Bulls team on their own paddock.

"We are just happy that we are in the play-offs and we still have a shot at the main prize," he told this website in an interview on Monday.

Asked what they expect from the Bulls, the Cheetahs manager likened it to a game of Test match intensity.

"Having watched the Blue Bulls and the Sharks this weekend, we know it is going to be a real arm wrestle to get into the Final," he said, adding: "No doubt the Bulls have sharpened their horns for us."

Although the Cheetahs appear to have gone off the boil in the last month — with successive defeats against Western Province, the Sharks and Bulls, as well as a scratchy win over the Boland Cavaliers at the weekend — Muller is confident they will raise their game to the required levels at Loftus.

But they won't be making any drastic changes to their training regime or tactical approach.

"It is difficult to change anything or make major corrections in a week, it simply won't work," he said, when asked about the Cheetahs' recent form.

"We have to go and play and just hope it all falls into place for us.

"The most important thing in play-offs is to limit your mistakes.

"Obviously we will try to smooth out some of the rough edges, but there won't be major changes.

"We know we were not up to par this [past] weekend and at times during the season, but this is a semifinal and we will give it a full go, because it is the one chance we have."

The Cheetahs have a couple of injury concerns, with lock David de Villiers (ankle) the most serious.

Flyhalf Jaqcues-Louis Potgieter (hand injury) has been cleared, but the Cheetahs medical staff are awaiting the results of scans on the lock's ankle before making a call.

However, they remain hopeful that the star second row forward will also be cleared.

365